Bjaaland’s life and upbringing was characterized by a strong relationship with skiing and snow. He grew up in Morgedal in Telemark, an area with long skiing traditions. Bjaaland started competing on skis early, and quickly excelled as one of the country’s best cross-country skiers and ski jumpers.
Roald Amundsen met Bjaaland for the first time in the winter of 1909, at a railway restaurant in Lübeck,Germany. Bjaaland was on his way to Chamonix to take part in a skiing competition, as part of a six-member Norwegian Army squad.📜 In Lübeck, they met Amundsen, who was preparing for the Fram expedition. According to Johan Austbø’s book, Olav Bjaaland: idrottsmann og polfarar (1945), the first conversation with Amundsen went as follows:
Bjaaland: “It would be fun to join you to the North Pole”. Amundsen: “Well, if you mean it, then it can probably be arranged. You can just drop by in Oslo when you come home from Chamonix. But think about it; it will not just be fun.”📜
In 1937, Bjaaland was interviewed by NRK radio about his first meeting with Amundsen and the expedition, during a program about skiers from Morgedal. The recording is preserved and available online at the National Library of Norway (Bjaaland begins speaking at around 16:40)🔊
Group photo of the Norwegian ski team on the way to France in 1909. Olav Bjaaland is second from left. Photo: Follo museum / MiA.
As early as March 1909, Norwegian newspapers announced that Bjaaland had been included as an all-rounder for Amundsen’s forthcoming expedition. Although Bjaaland had never been to sea or had any experience on similar expeditions, he became an important piece in the plan Amundsen launched in September 1910, when the drift across the Arctic Ocean was changed to a sledge journey to the South Pole.
Upon arrival in Antarctica, Bjaaland, together with Jørgen Stubberud, was responsible for erecting the winter cabin, Framheim. During the winter, Bjaaland had a carpentry workshop under the snow, where he and Stubberud worked, among other things, to reduce the weight of the sledges and sledge boxes. The sledge Bjaaland made for Lindstrøm during the winter in Framheim is today under the stairs in Amundsen’s home.
Bjaaland in his carpenter’s workshop under the snow outside Framheim. Photo: Follo museum / MiA.
Bjaaland was selected to be part of the polar party itself, but during the actual sledge journey, in mid-November at 85 degrees south, Bjaaland was ordered by Amundsen to return to Framheim together with Sverre Hassel. According to Hassel, the cause must have been Bjaaland’s collision with one of the sledges on a downhill run. Bjaaland, however, apologized to Amundsen, who changed his mind.
On arrival at the South Pole, Bjaaland was commissioned to take several photos, including the iconic photo of the other men in front of the tent. One of the mountains they discovered during the journey today bears Bjaaland’s name.
After the expedition, Bjaaland established his own ski factory with money borrowed from Amundsen. The Bjaaland skis were much sought after, and together with his brother he ran the factory until it was sold in 1933. He held several positions in teams and associations throughout his life, and was one of the founders of the Norwegian Ski Federation in 1908.
In 1952, ahead of the Olympic Winter Games in Oslo, Bjaaland had the honour of lighting the Olympic flame in the hearth of the house of ski pioneer Sondre Norheim in Morgedal. Fifty years after the Fram expedition, in 1961, NRK radio interviewed the surviving members of the expedition. The recording is preserved and available online at the National Library of Norway🔊
The equipment Bjaaland used on the Fram expedition can be found today in the collections at the Norwegian Ski Museum in Morgedal and the Ski Museum in Holmenkollen.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage, 1903-06. A tinted photograph of him hangs in Amundsen’s home.
The girls Nita and Camilla Carpendale went to Norway and Svartskog together with Amundsen in 1922 where they lived until 1924. The girls called Amundsen “Grandpa”.
Betty was one of the key women in Amundsen’s life. She was the nanny when he grew up, and when Amundsen moved to Svartskog, she joined him and moved into the gatehouse, which became “Betty’s house”.
Eivind Astrup became one of the world’s most experienced polar explorers of his time and a great role model for Roald Amundsen. He chose to end his life when only 24 years old.
Roald Amundsen had strong feelings for Kristine Elisabeth “Kiss” Bennett. She visited Uranienborg several times, but even though Amundsen transferred ownership of it to her, she never moved in.
The girls Nita and Camilla Carpendale went to Norway and Svartskog with Amundsen in 1922 and lived there until 1924. The girls called Amundsen “Grandpa”.
Sigrid Flood Castberg, often called “Sigg”, was one of the women Amundsen had a relationship with. But when Amundsen proposed, she was already married and wanted to wait, and when she was ready he wanted…
Håkon Hammer met Roald Amundsen in Seattle in 1921. He quickly became a collaborator and supporter, but was later named by Amundsen as one of the reasons for his personal bankruptcy.
Participated in the Maud expedition, but left the expedition in 1919, together with Peter Tessem. Both perished. What really happened to them is still unknown.
The Alaska Inupiaq called Elizabeth Magids “Queen of the Arctic”, Amundsen’s crew referred to her as “the mysterious lady”. Amundsen called her “Bess”. She went to live with Amundsen in Norway in 1928….
Participated as a research assistant on the Maud expedition, and as a meteorologist on the Norge expedition. Died on Umberto Nobile’s airship expedition in 1928.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of him decorates a window in Amundsen’s home.
Nobile was the airship engineer whom Amundsen criticized after the expedition in 1926. During the search for his wrecked expedition in 1928, Roald Amundsen disappeared.
Joined the Maud expedition after visiting the ship in Khabarovsk. Also participated in the Norge expedition, but was left out from the actual voyage across the Arctic Ocean.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of her hangs in Amundsen’s home.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of him decorates a door in Amundsen’s home.